This is a “passionate” subject for me and I admit I will not do it justice. But I must say something if for no other reason than my having a clear conscience. It won’t help but…

I wish to discuss two things today – dress and speech. Two subjects, each having volumes of books devoted to them. I am going to concern myself primarily with our lower and middle class. For the most part, the upper class of society has kept up with tradition and it is of limited concern the minimal amount they may have “fallen”. And for any wishing to “run in those circles”, they will as well. This will of course set those of the “politically correct” persuasion on edge. I am singling out those “less fortunate”. Yet another nail in the coffin of the “99%”. It is not due to a dislike for them. I myself am a member of the middle class. However, it is what it is. And as the old saying goes, “what you are is your parents’ fault, if you stay that way it is your own.” As well, for those familiar with this blog you will realize I do not now, nor will I in the future, care. The politically correct have been, and continue to be, significant contributors to this problem so their thoughts on the subject are irrelevant.

I have an “app” on my phone called BeSpeak. For those that do not have a wardrobe consultant (I do), it helps the “style impaired” with what clothing is best suited to them and how to dress properly. There is another called SnapDress. It allows one to actually take a picture of clothing to determine if it is appropriate for your “profile”. The 21st Century does have some amazing technology (if used appropriately). However, technology or not, many just don’t care. They do the minimum necessary to fit into the minimum, current dress for which their “industry” calls. There is no doubt in my mind that the current state of dress and speech are not only demonstrative of the degradation of our society and culture as a whole, but contributed to their downfall. I spoke before about civility in cyberspace. This, of course, is only a small piece of the overall issue. Civility in general is lacking. Call it how you want – it is virtually lost in society as whole. How we treat each other – opening doors for females, thank you notes, RSVP, saying please. Our music, our television shows, our movies. Our dress in public (even in private…). What little civility exists is quite limited these days and is primarily found in the upper echelons of the financially well off.

From the time of the Renaissance to mid-20th Century the world operated in a more formal and dignified manner. The elegance and grace with which they conducted themselves was astonishing. While everything was certainly not perfect, they, for the most part, represented themselves in dress and speech in a civilized way in their everyday lives. This translated to a cultured and urbane society at every level.

As an example – Downton Abbey. My wife has gotten me hooked on this television show about a late 19th Century – early 20th Century English earl (the Earl of Grantham), his family (the Crawley family) and the servants that work for them.

I am really not that excited about the actual story. It is interesting to an extent but I am far more interested in the portrayal of the times and methods of interaction – the clothing, language and manner of speaking with and treating each other. While they are certainly not always “nice” to each other, they are formal, even polite, and proper in their relations and dress. It is a dignified and refined manner of interaction and presentation.

And this is not limited to the “upstairs”. It is not limited to the earl’s family and his circle of friends. The “downstairs” staff also functions in this manner. They address each other at all times in a formal manner. Mr. Carson (the butler), Mr. Bates (Lord Grantham’s valet), Mrs. Hughes (the head housekeeper), Mrs. Patmore (the head cook). You have to be as “lowly” as a mere footman or scullery maid (pretty much the bottom of the chain and quite young anyway) to be addressed by your first name. But at the time you are promoted to a higher level, you immediately are referred to in the formal manner. In the U.S. we came to be somewhat less formal even before that timeframe. But the extent of that limited informality came in such situations as the Southern Plantations (or cities for that matter) where females were still addressed as “Miss” and first name (even those married) while men were still always addressed as “Mister” and last name or just plain “Sir”. Within families or with very close, longtime friends (and normally in more private affairs) these rules were usually relaxed.

In additional to how they address each other and the formal manner in which they speak, is the way the dress. Regardless of your position, you dressed “properly”. Even the “lowly” footman wore white tie and tails to serve dinner and what we would consider black tie at other times on duty. When they are not on duty they still were appropriate slacks and “sport” coats or more casual suits. When the men went hunting it was in suit and tie (casual, but a suit none the less). When outside they virtually always wore a formal hat (vice baseball cap). When on a picnic the women wore dresses. Not a formal gown of course. That was reserved for the evening meal or other such formal occasion (where the men wore white tie with double-cuff sleeves (aka – French Cuff)). During one episode one of the female relatives (Isobel Crawley) showed up at the manor in quite appropriate daytime dress to speak with the family. When invited to dinner she politely refused because she was not wearing proper dinner attire (although what she WAS wearing was far nicer than what people these days wear to an evening out). While many may suggest that this is the household of a noble and so appearances must be kept up, scenes from elsewhere in the show prove otherwise. Scenes from the town showed that EVERYBODY dressed and acted as formally as their station in life would allow. Shopkeepers wore suits. Even mechanics working on machinery wore suits. Gentlemen farmers and their farmhands wore suits. Females were always in dresses. I cross “the pond” to the US and look at old time photos of the Wright brothers in their bicycle shop (lest you believe this is just on TV – see original photo below), men panhandling for gold in rivers, ladies of all walks and stations of life. They ALL were in suits and ties or long dresses often with lace. East Coast or West, North or South. “White Collar” or “Blue Collar”… People cared about their appearance. People cared about how they presented themselves to others and it made for a far more well-mannered, gracious, respectful society.

Orville Wright in his shop (the one working in the suit)

And now we are in the present… I’ve actually seen people in upscale hotel (not motel) lobbies, stores, parks and other place of public dressed in pajamas. People wear sweats and “flip flops” out to a sit down restaurant – sometimes formal (fast food restaurants are bad enough). Places that used to have dress codes (including a rack of jackets and ties for the gentlemen that “forgot” to wear his) now have people in jeans and t-shirts. Grown men at church in shorts, a t-shirt and athletic shoes (or even flip flops again). Boys out in public or going to school with pants hanging off their derrière, underwear showing and continually having to pull them up so they can walk without tripping. Other than just looking ridiculous, it has got to be problematic. Why would one add to the problems they already face? Girls think it absurd as well by the way. While I will not go so far as to advocate the complete formality of the past, I certainly would be ok with not even considering going outside without a casual suit or sport coat (and maybe even tie).

Concerning speech… I am led to understand, by actual high school English teachers, that what has been considered “informal speech” in the past is now acceptable in virtually any manner of our lives. Miss Manners be damned. While we have always had “formal” and “informal” (slang?) grammar, “acceptable” grammar at all levels has been reduced to the lowest common denominator. Using a preposition to end a sentence with? No problem. Using “can” in place of “may” (can I go to the restroom)? That’s fine. Listing a group of names with that of the speaker first? Perfectly acceptable. It is just an informal way of speaking and we are to accept it in polite society. Why teach correct English when we can just modify the standards to what the average 3th grade student of the past used. “Can I go to the restroom?” from a High School student. How ridiculous. And their English teachers allow it! What they fail to realize is in fact polite society does NOT accept it. You will be looked down upon and treated with distain. And then wonder why you can’t advance your station in life. We are leading our lower and middle class children into believing they can work their way up the corporate and societal ladder without regard to how polite society speaks and acts. They are being held back without even knowing it. Then they blame “the man” for “keeping them down”. It is not the man. It is their own acceptance of what our society, at its lower levels, now accepts as the norm and teaches (or at very least, accepts) in its schools. As an aside – don’t get me wrong. Our schools are doing much better than that for which many give them credit. In some regards though we are not having our students live up to a high enough standard. We are accepting lowered societal standards. We are dumbing down society. More on schools in a future post.

This leads to a situation today where the crudeness of, the vulgarity in, our speech is beyond the pale. It is inexcusable and indefensible. Mainstream songs, movies, even television shows demonstrate crassness never before imagined – often in the name of free speech. I am in no way desiring to limit free speech by law (except in obvious case of libel, slander, danger (yelling fire in a crowded theater), and such situations). However, it is a mark of polite society to limit our OWN speech. We shouldn’t have be have laws or policies against it. It should be taught and observed from the youngest age that it is just not done.

What strikes me most is how we’ve lost this. “Things change” we are told. “Keep up with the times” we are told. That would be great if the times were improving. I would submit in many respects our times ARE improving. Our technology is making the world “smaller” via communication and transportation improvements. It is improving medical care and therefore our quality (and length) of life in many respects. However, I defy anyone to demonstrate how changing to a more informal (for lack of a better word) society in dress and speech is making our culture – our society – a better place in which to live. We are losing all respect for ourselves and our fellow man.

Now of course you may say, “What has this got to do with us?” We like the more informal way of life. It works for us and we are hurting nobody through it. With which I would disagree. Your being ok with, and supporting, ill-mannered, gracious less, disrespectful society affects the rest of us. We will discuss this next time.

>>> The day is at a close, the night is drawing in and my cigar awaits – ’til next time…